Free Keyboard Test
Check registered keyboard codes, held keys, repeats and modifier states with a focused visual layout. Test locally without saving typed text.
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How to use the keyboard test
Check registered keyboard codes, held keys, repeats and modifier states with a focused visual layout. Test locally without saving typed text.
- Select Start keyboard test and keep focus inside the keyboard test area.
- Press keys individually and watch the physical-code layout and distinct-key counter.
- Hold combinations to inspect simultaneous registered keys, repeat status and modifier states.
- Press Escape or Stop keyboard test to finish; Reset keys clears the local history.
When a keyboard test is worth running
A quick key check helps after a spill, after cleaning keycaps, or when one letter seems to work only some of the time. Pressing every key once and watching the layout fill in shows which keys reach the computer at all.
It is also useful when buying a used laptop or a secondhand mechanical keyboard. Gamers can hold several movement keys at once to see whether the board registers the combination, and support staff can confirm whether a problem is hardware or software before sending a device for repair.
A worked example: Shift, A and the number pad
Start the test and hold Left Shift, then press A. The status line shows Held: ShiftLeft, KeyA, and the detail line reads KeyA, key: A, location: 0, repeat: false, plus the current Caps Lock and Num Lock states. Location 0 means a standard key.
Now press Right Shift alone. The code becomes ShiftRight and the location changes to 2, which means the right-hand copy of a key. Left-hand copies report 1, and number pad keys report 3. Press 5 on the number pad and the code reads Numpad5, so you can tell it apart from Digit5 on the top row.
Finally, hold the J key for two seconds. The repeat value switches to true while the key auto-repeats, but the recent key list records J only once, because it adds a key only on its first press. The list keeps the last 20 presses.
How to read codes, keys and colors
Each press reports two names. The code is the physical position on the board, using US layout names such as KeyQ or Semicolon. The key is the character or function your current layout produces. On a French AZERTY keyboard, the key printed as A sits where a US board has Q, so it reports code KeyQ with key a.
On the visual layout, a key turns solid while it is held and stays lightly shaded after it has been pressed once. The distinct key counter adds up every unique code seen since the last reset, including keys that are not drawn on the layout, such as Print Screen or media keys that do reach the page.
The drawn layout covers the function row, the main block, modifiers, navigation and arrow keys, and the number pad. Keys missing from your own keyboard simply stay unshaded.
Common mistakes to avoid
Clicking outside the test area takes focus away, and key presses stop being read. If nothing lights up, click Start keyboard test again or click inside the layout. Remember that Escape ends the test, so it cannot be tested as a normal held key.
Do not assume a key is broken because the page never sees it. Fn, some laptop media keys and shortcuts such as Alt+Tab are handled by the operating system first. Also, when many keys are held, cheaper boards may block or ghost some combinations, so test the exact combination you care about rather than mashing keys.
Useful tips and limitations
- Operating-system shortcuts, Fn and some media keys may never reach a webpage.
- Physical codes can differ from printed labels on non-US keyboard layouts.
- Press Reset keys before a fresh run so the shaded keys and distinct counter only reflect the current test.
- To check a sticky key, hold it and watch the Held list clear the moment you release it.
Common questions
Can the keyboard checker intercept every shortcut?
No. Some operating-system and browser shortcuts are reserved and cannot be tested by a webpage.
Are keystrokes from the keyboard testing area uploaded?
No. The test handles key events locally while the focused testing area is active and keeps only a small in-memory history.
What does the location number mean?
It shows which copy of a key was pressed: 0 for a standard key, 1 for the left copy, 2 for the right copy and 3 for the number pad.
Why does a key show a different letter than the one printed on it?
The code always uses US position names, while the key value follows your active layout. On non-US layouts the two can differ even when the key works perfectly.
How many recent presses are listed?
The recent key codes list keeps the 20 most recent first presses. Auto-repeated presses from holding a key are not added again.
Device checks and recordings run locally without AI or media uploads. Permission is requested only when starting capture. Download anything you want to keep before leaving the page.